ISLANDARTS M AG A Z I N E
Showcasing BC Artists Winter 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue IV December - January - February
Feature Artist:
Tiffany Hastie Miniature Painter paintings shown here are actual size
Give the Gift of
PRODUCT REVIEWS - SHOPPING - EVENTS WORKSHOPS - RECIPES ...AND MORE
ART
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Paint Life Laughing Carrie Osborn Art Abstract and Textural Workshops Therapeutic Art Paint Nights
www.paintlifelaughing.ca • (250) 752-6141
Wishing you a season filled with fun times and good cheers. In this new year may, all your dreams turn into reality and all your efforts into great achievements. May your positive actions and attitude inspire others. On this New Year we wish that you have a superb January, a dazzling February, a peaceful March, an anxiety free April, a sensational May, and Joy that keeps going from June to November, and then round off with an upbeat December. Best Wishes Susan Schaefer & Jeff Shields
A collection of carefully curated artworks Featuring the works of
Anna May Bennett, artist and gallery owner Located in the newly renovated Townsite Market Unit 108 - 5831 Ash Avenue Powell River, BC turadhfineart@gmail.com - facebook.com/turadhfineart Instagram @turadhfineart
Whatever you do or dream you can do – begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Carmichael Canvas JANUARY WHITE SALE 24 x 30” giclée canvas print Only $119. Limit 6 per customer
Celebrating 10 Years
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Artist’s Giclée Prints on Canvas We specialize in high quality, wide format printing using photography of your original artwork.
250-228-5091 • Nanoose Bay email: carmichaelcanvas@gmail.com
Showcasing BC Artists Winter 2019 • Volume XII • Issue IV
ISLANDARTS MAGAZINE
this issue 8 Artful Gifts 9 Tuscany Adventures by Susan Schaefer
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12 - 13 Feature Artist - Tiffany Hastie 15 Workshops 16 Painting in Belgium by Mark Hobson
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20 Opus - Celebrating 45 Years 22 Marketplace
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ISSN 1918-252X Island Arts Magazine Published By: © 2019 Susan Schaefer, Artist Young at Art Studios. All photographs taken by S. Schaefer unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication including photographs and advertisements may be reproduced by any means for public or private use without prior written permission from Susan Schaefer. Printed in Canada by Western Litho Printers Limited Articles and opinions expressed in the Island Arts Magazine are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher assumes no liability. PM # 41840042: RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: YOUNG AT ART, 701 ERMINESKIN AVENUE, PARKSVILLE BC V9P 2L4 ADVERTISE IN ISLAND ARTS MAGAZINE For advertising rates and deadlines, please call (250) 586-5510 / email: susan@islandartsmag.ca / www.islandartsmag.ca Winter 2019
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Dianne E. Nelson Original Silk Paintings Commissions & Classes
250-500-3548 • Campbell River Email: swift.rivers.studio@gmail
Photography by John Warden - attuned to the currents of nature. Trumpeter swans, Comox Valley, Vancouver Island.
Finding My Way By John Warden The Chinese word Tao refers to a path, quest or a journey and it was the Taoist sage, Lao Tzu, who wrote ‘a journey of thousand miles begins with a first step’. My own journey began in Alberta, the late 1970’s, when I started taking pictures with my first SLR camera. A couple of field trips in the 1980’s introduced me to the mysterious beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Then, in 2002, I met my wife Debra and one day she asked ‘If you hadn’t been a police officer, what other career, might you have chosen’? ‘Probably a nature photographer’, I replied. And that’s when I got really serious about my art. I bought a digital camera and I began creating opportunities to take pictures. Through practice, I began to learn the art. I started thinking about composition and writing articles about my experiences out on the land. Photography became a significant part of my everyday. Here too, the word Tao becomes relevant as it also means way as in a way of life. Author Dave Lowry writes that “early Taoists, urged a way of life attuned to the currents of nature”. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m on a journey, where, step by step, I’m tuning my art to the currents of nature. In the doing, I’m finding my way.
A unique creative space shared by 9 artists open to the public Saturdays 11-4 buy direct – original fine art artcards, reproductions
362-C 10th St., Courtenay, BC www.artalchemy.ca
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Walter Collins
DAVID NETTERVILLE
Sculpture & Painter
Comox Valley Artist
Represented by: The Village Gallery, Sidney New Moon Gallery, West Kelowna
250-317-8319 North Saanich, BC St. Annes Church, Parksville
Tel: 250 338-0002 Email: david.netterville@telus.net
HEATHER BROWN artist & potter
www.heathermarybrown.ca 905 Ravenhill Rd. Port McNeill 250-956-4629
ADVERTISING THAT WORKS
We publish quarterly. Our deadlines are: Spring - January 21st • Summer - April 21st Fall - July 21st • Winter - October 21st Winter 2019
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Open: 10 - 6 Mon - Sat • 10 - 4 Sun www.ironoxideartsupplies.com
I walk around like everything is fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is sliding off.
Product Review: ArtResin by Iron Oxide Art Supplies ArtResin is a 2 part epoxy that you can use over watercolor, acrylic, wood, metal, in molds, photographs, inks, rocks, oil paint, encaustic, and almost anything you can think of. By mixing equal parts resin and hardener you can create a durable coating that is like glass. The two great features of this brand of resin are that it is non-yellowing and that it has no VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) It is an easy product to use but you must take care in setting up your space and have the right tools.
To kick off the Art+Earth Festival, the Campbell River Arts Council hosted, along with the City of Campbell River, the official opening of the Walter Morgan Studio. This space will be available as a "artist in residence" space. Out first artist is Alex Witcombe of Drifted Creations. On Saturday September 21st the Arts Council and Patrons of the Arts hosted a reception which featured unveiling of 4 new pieces of art created especially for the Festival. Having just completed our first Art+Earth Festival, we are raring to go again with this for next year.
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You will need: a flat level surface to work on, gloves, stir sticks, plastic cups, a blow torch, a tool with serrated teeth, rags and a warm room to work in. Then you mix, pour, torch, cover and let cure. And voila you have a very durable stunningly glossy piece of artwork. There are many pieces of art and photography finished with ArtResin at Iron Oxide Art Supplies. We are happy to talk about the process in person. Learn more at www.artresin.ca
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HALINA GRZYB www.halinagrzyb.com Established Ontario artist recently moved to Nanaimo seeks gallery representation on Vancouver Island. halinasart@gmail.com • 250-797-0378
Winter 2019
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MARGERY BLOM ~ Oil Painter
Kelly Deakin
Celebrating Vancouver Island
Ucluelet BC
one of a kind pyrographic art openwings.ca 250-266-2214 Wishing You a Healthy and Creative 2020
Season’s Greetings
www.margeryblom.com
JILL PARIS RODY - Artist
155 Rainbow Rd. Salt Spring Island BC
GIVE THE GIFT OF ART for CHRISTMAS!! Original Artwork • Classes jparisrody.com email: jrodycda@telus.net
March to the beat of your own drummer boy. Judi Pedder watercolour and silk artist
Art is what we call...the thing an artist does. It’s not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it. What matters, what makes it art, is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human. Art is not in the ...eye of the beholder. It’s in the soul of the artist.
www.judipedder.com 250-339-7081, Comox BC 8
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Seth Godin
FlowStudioDesigns.com 250-585-1987
Happy Holidays
blown glass jewelry & art
SUSAN SCHAEFER susan-schaefer-fine-art.ca
Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding unsalted butter for the baking dish 6 large egg yolks 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 6 croissants, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound) 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks Heat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Add the croissants and chocolate and mix to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Winter 2019
Christmas Fudge Cooking spray 2-3/4 cups chocolate chips 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 2 tbsp. heavy cream 4 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 3 tbsp. Christmas sprinkles Line an 8”-x-8” baking pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate, condensed milk, butter, cream, vanilla, and salt together. Stir until smooth then pour into prepared pan. Top with sprinkles and refrigerate until set, 2 hours. Cut into squares to serve.
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The Great 2019 Tuscany Adventure by Susan Schaefer
an evening tour and dinner in Sienna. As you look up and see how close the roof tops are to each other, our tour guide reminds of a famous chase scene in the James Bond 'Quantum of Solace' movie, filmed in Sienna.
For Island Arts Magazine, one of the highlights of our first week was a visit to Terry Davies Pottery Studio (see side story). Dreamt about it for years, planned it for three and this September Jeff and I did it. On Sept. 5th we boarded the WestJet Dreamliner bound for Paris and onward to Florence Italy. The first week was a culinary adventure as we stayed at a Villa on the hills of Tuscany, surrounded by fields of grapes and olive groves. We took cooking classes using the flavours of Tuscany. We can’t say enough about this part of the trip only that we would highly recommend our hosts, organictuscany.com We also did side trips. We went to the medieval city of Certaldo. There we tramped up to the fortress, stopping along the way to see frescos that were over 1000 years old. (Fresco is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid, or wet lime plaster. With the setting of the plaster, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall).
One could only imagine Etruscan soldiers marching through the narrow streets. In fact, that night I had a hard time sleeping, as my mind kept running through the days images – like a slide show. Every day was like living 1000 years.
We had a visit and lunch at an organic orchard which has been in the family for many generations, an afternoon visit to an olive oil farm run by a baroness and
I was excited to start out week in Florence with a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. The Gallery is famous worldwide for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the Modern period). The collections of paintings from the 14th-century and Renaissance period include some absolute masterpieces: Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo, Raffaello, Michelangelo and Caravaggio.
The Gallery boasts an invaluable collection of ancient statues and busts from the 10
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Terry Davies Medici family, which adorns the corridors and consists of ancient Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures. As this is quite a popular tourist attraction, we purchased our tickets for 8:15 am. They allow only 600 people into the gallery at a time. We were glad we went early, as we left the gallery we saw the huge line-ups of art lovers waiting to get in.
An English potter in Tuscany
www.terrydavies.it
Standing in front of these paintings created by the masters was a humbling experience. After a couple of hours of seeing these Renaissance Rock Stars, my brain was once again over-saturated and, besides, it was time for lunch.
Terry knew what he wanted to do from an early age. He talks about his first encounter with pottery while vacationing with his family at the Channel Islands at the age of 10. On his return to England, he bugged his mother to let him take classes. Finally she gave in and he started to take Saturday morning classes. Soon he was throwing pots at the age of 13.
One of our day trips included a tour of Cinque Terra. Tourist books describe it as “centuriesold seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the 5 towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties along with the Liguria region’s famous sauce, pesto.” It did not disappoint as I see many future paintings inspired by that trip.
“On leaving school, I was taken on as apprentice thrower in the cooper pottery in Market Drayton, a small, hand-thrown, oilfired, stoneware production pottery studio. My first months’ task was to throw mugs, mugs and more mugs. My two masters, mounted beside me on the huge Staffordshire cone-drive wheels, would often stop throwing to jump off their horses and politely squash mugs on my ware board that didn’t make the grade. Within months I was put on piece rate, a traditional form of paying wages commonly used in the pottery world, and would only by paid for the pots that passed the level of inspection. You can imagine, it doesn’t take long until you throw board after board of perfect pots for fear of not seeing half your pay packet offered to the pug mill at the end of a day.
After a week of walking around Florence, we took the high speed train to Venice. Walking out of the train station – was magical as the water taxis and gondolas buzzed around the waterways. We walked a few miles that day, always in awe as we approached another canal – stopping for a photo op. My thoughts were “Could this be real?” It’s one thing to see this scenery in movies, but it’s a totally different thing to see and feel it in real life. Once again I was reminded of a scene from James Bond, Casino Royale.
At age seventeen and a half, I was throwing 50 mugs per hour, and earning the wage of a man, sometimes reaching a massive 500 per day.” He travelled around the world throwing and selling pots. Twenty years ago he went to Italy to teach and work with a potter in Certaldo. There he found the love of his life...and the rest is history.
20 days later we made our way back to Paris and boarded the DreamLiner bound for Calgary and then Comox. We bought some macaroons to munch on for the trip home – as we were in Paris and that is what you do. Oui?
Forty years a potter, Terry Davies is an international artist, winning first prize at the prestigious Gmunden Tophermarkt in Austria for Ikabana in 2018. His most recent achievement is a contract with Georgia Armani who sells his work in Japan. It was Island Arts Magazine great pleasure to get to know Terry over a cappuccino in Certaldo Tuscany.
Now back on beautiful Vancouver Island, I think, did this really happen? There are so many memories that will take us through our lifetime. I don’t have enough adjectives to describe our trip. One of them might be “mind-blowing”! ~
Winter 2019
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How did you become interested in the world of miniature work? I first heard about miniature painting twenty years ago at a meeting of the Federation of Canadian Artists, on the Lower Mainland. Our chapter president had recently been to a miniature show in the USA and after telling us about it we decided to include a miniature component in our chapter show. Instinctively I felt this was a good fit for my realistic and detailed style of work, so I painted four miniatures for the show. The paintings sold within five minutes of the opening and I had a commission for four more paintings by the end of the evening. After this encouraging start, I took a deep dive into the world of miniature art and focused on developing my skills further.
Along the Tracks II, 2 x 4.5”
The World of Miniature Art by Tiffany Hastie tiffanyhastieart.com
How long have you been painting and teaching miniatures?
Born and raised on the west coast of British Columbia, Tiffany Hastie has always held a deep appreciation for the natural beauty surrounding her. The permanence of landscape and architecture, when combined with the ever-changing light, provides an endless source of inspiration and challenge. The tension created when painting the “Grand View” in miniature offers a type of intimacy that draws the viewer inward. It is this alluring quality inherent in miniature painting that Tiffany finds fascinating to work with.
I’ve been painting miniature landscapes and teaching the art of painting in miniature for about twenty years now. Considering this traditional form of painting dates back a thousand years or so, it is terrific to see quite a bit of interest in miniatures today, both from artists wanting to learn the technique, and from buyers who collect these tiny artworks. Please explain the difference between traditional miniature paintings and paintings that are just small in size? Having painted both small paintings and miniatures, I’ve found the main difference between them has to do with concept and technique. In concept, miniature painting is about rendering a subject in miniature (approximately 1/6th or so in scale of the original), without omitting any detail along the way. Traditionally, a miniature painting is considered to be a painting that can be held in the palm of one hand, with the understanding that if the painting were to be enlarged many times over, the image would appear just as complete and whole on a large scale, as it does on a tiny one.
Beached, 2.25 x 4.75
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With regard to technique, miniature painting requires a certain precision of execution so that the resulting image remains within the concept of miniaturization. Good quality materials are a must, as are patience and focus. Working with acrylic on art board, I use techniques such as hatching, stippling and pointillism, along with numerous thin applications of paint to slowly build the image up. It usually takes me fifteen plus hours to paint a 2” x 4” miniature. Given the nature of how the images are created, miniature paintings tend to draw the viewer into the image, as the painting reveals more of itself the longer one looks at it. For this reason, many people like to view a miniature painting under a magnifying glass to fully appreciate the details. Do you ever work larger and if so, how do you make that transition? Yes, I do. At the moment there is a large three-foot by four-foot canvas on my easel which gives me a good change from the minis. Painting in miniature means sitting for long hours at my drafting table, so I frequently take breaks to get up and move around. During this time I’ll paint for a while at my easel, working with pattern and design, and leave the landscapes for my miniature format. I find working on a different scale, with a different focus, provides a great opportunity to clear my mind and stretch creatively, before returning to miniature work with fresh eyes.
Beacon Hill Bluebells, 2 x 4.5”
Note: the west coast painting at the MPSGS International Art Show has been awarded Best in Realism. I'm also looking forward to participating in the 2019 Vancouver Island Miniature Masterpiece Art Show hosted by Excellent Frameworks in Duncan. It's great to see an increasing interest in miniature work and I think this show will be a lot of fun. What advise would you give artists who are thinking of stepping into the world of miniatures? My advice to artists who are interested in miniature work is to research miniature painting shows online and see a miniature in real life, if possible, to best understand the unique nature of them. Alternatively, there are many excellent websites which showcase miniature paintings and explain the purpose, history, materials and techniques used.
If you want to try your hand at miniature painting, then use smoothest painting surface you can find, the tiniest paintbrushes and paint in the smallest, thinnest applications. Build your image up slowly, removing any dust and debris, and use the smallest painting strokes possible. Painting in miniature can be challenging, but it offers it's own excellent rewards and is well worth pursuing. Here are several websites for some of the leading miniature organizations with show dates and helpful information: www.mpsgs.org (Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, DC) www.hilliardsociety.org (Hilliard Society of Miniature Art) www.royal-miniature-society.org.uk (The Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers) www.miniature-art.com (The Miniature Art Society of Florida) ~
Do you have any upcoming shows? Right now I’m working on a couple of miniatures for the upcoming 86th Annual International Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature, hosted by The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, D.C.. This show provides an excellent opportunity to see miniature work in all of it’s forms and mediums, for those who may be interested in exploring the world of miniature art. Shack Island, 2 x 4.5”
Winter 2019
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100 Day Portrait Challenge by Diane Michelin Maybe some of you have already followed my posts, on Instagram or Facebook, about my challenge, doing 100 portraits in 100 days. I started at the end of July and painted different portraits each day for about 30 to 90 minutes. How all this happened you might ask? Being on Instagram since 2017, to promote my art, I was in contact with a oil painter by the name of A.J. Alper. He proposed to his followers (No! He is not a preacher!) to do one portrait daily and he will, along the way, gives techniques and comments for us to grow and learn. He paints alla prima, using wet on wet technique and his style reflects the influence of the 19th century Realism.
years, in fact since 2000, I have painted almost exclusively the fly fishing world, allowing me to also paint figures, landscapes or still life. My style is playful and I certainly play with my palette, using different brush stokes or pigments. I am painting races, gender or ages in my challenge and I must admit that it is never boring. It was the first time as a professional painter that I challenged myself as much not knowing if i would persevere. But I am someone who is persistent and it teaches us that no hard work.... no gain. ~ www.dianemichelin.com
You might want to know how I was able to find these faces. Well! Being connected to the fly fishing world community, as an angler myself and also well known as a watercolour painter of this subject, many of my friends and also family have graciously accepted to let me paint them. Surprisingly, many have also purchased their portraits to my delight. I am a true believer that each painter is always on a road trip, looking for novelties and discoveries. I started to paint when I was a teenager and portrait was my domain. After a career in teaching, I quit to devote my life in art. For many
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Island Arts Magazine - Workshop Lineup Adding Fire to your Still Life MARILYN TIMMS March 28 - 29, 2020 Using big and bold brush strokes, Marilyn will help you loosen up by adding life to your still life painting. Bold colours and juicy full body texture will add dimension and excitement to your work. In this class, you will learn layering effectively to bring out exciting negative shapes. Making acrylics work thinly at first, then impasto over, your paintings will develop greater dimension and depth. Marilyn will do “mini-demonstrations� to help you visualize the techniques. Marilyn Timms is an award winning watercolour & acrylic painter and popular workshop instructor, residing on Texada Island. Cost: $275. + gst
Landscapes - A Different View BRENT LYNCH - April 18 - 19, 2020 SOLD OUT - Waiting List Available
Realism to Abstraction JANICE ROBERTSON, SFCA May 2 - 3, 2020 In this workshop, Janice will introduce techniques for adding an abstract, interpretive approach to your representational subject matter. Techniques covered will be glazing, wet-in-wet, lifting, speckling, positive and negative painting. Reference images will be supplied, or bring your own. Janice lives in the historic village of Fort Langley, BC with her artist husband, Alan Wylie. She is a signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Landscape Artists International, the Northwest Watercolor Society and Artists for Conservation. Cost: $325. + gst
Landscapes - Rich Colour & Texture TEA SER TATJANA-MIRKOV POPOVICKI Sept 26 - 27, 2020
ALER
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Location: McMillan Arts Centre, Parksville BC Register Online at: www.islandartsmag.ca or by calling 250-586-5510
Register Early. Our Classes tend to Fill Up Quickly! Winter 2019
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Painting the Great Bear Rainforest in Belgium by Mark Hobson
Stretching the Canvas
The full canvas - 8 feet by 8 feet ready to go
It is not every day that I have an Ibis as painting companion. This bald headed, goose-sized bird from South African would show up about noon each day and with his long curved beak present me with a leaf, dropping it into the wet acrylic paints of my palette. He would then sit on my easel, preen and sometimes defecate on my newly painted canvas . Luckily acrylics dry quickly so wiping off his freshly deposited critique became a fairly easy routine. This certainly was one of the most unusual art projects I have undertaken. I was painting black bears in Belgium surrounded by exotic birds in the midst of a huge tropical green house.
Note the assistant on the top of the easel
In October of 2018 I was invited by Eric Dom, the owner of Pairi Daiza, (www.pairidaiza.eu) Europe’s largest and best known zoo, to paint a scene that epitomizes the Great Bear Rain Forest of B.C.’s central coast. He was building a hotel that was loosely modelled after the north coast canneries and wanted an original painting as a feature in the foyer. The painting was to be 2.5 meters square and would be too big for me to fit onto my boat or to get through the door of my studio. It was decided that I should go to Europe and do the painting on site. It was easier to ship the artist than to ship the painting. In mid March of 2019, accompanied by my friend Fern Kornelsen, I arrived on the grounds of this unusual complex.
Getting started - day one
The property was about the size of U-Vic’s campus encircled with an ancient stone wall built in 1190. Since 1993 it has been slowly developed into a sophisticated theme park and zoo in which each of the world’s cultures is showcased with their compliment of native wildlife. There are temples from Thailand, Chinese gardens rivalling the forbidden city in Beijing, African mud huts from Ghana, a huge Russian wooden palace and a large area devoted to Indonesia.
The first of the projects was the Chinese section. It is truly impressive started in the 1990s and is the largest Chinese garden outside of China.
Thai temples, completely rebuilt with stones shipped from Thailand
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BRIAN BUCKRELL Comox Valley Artist South African Ibis … showing up at least two or three times a day and offered me gifts of leaves
For Galleries and Workshops visit:
www.BrianBuckrell.com
It was a bit disconcerting for us, as nature advocates, to see birds and large mammals in pens and cages, but we learned that many of the animals, such as the elephants and tigers have been rescued from circuses or other zoos that have gone bankrupt. The newest section is inspired by the west coast of Canada and includes long houses and totems carved by first nation artisans in Alert Bay and Campbell River. The hotel at the centre looks out onto a lake. Tofino artist, Suzanne Lawson, shipped dozens of driftwood mobiles to suspend from the ceiling throughout the building while my giclée prints are displayed in each of the rooms. In March the whole Canadian area was under construction with cranes and mud everywhere. The only place that had good light and was heated that could function as a studio was a tropical bird aviary. It was quite a fun place to go to work each day. It sounded like the back drop to a Tarzan movie and in the two weeks it took to complete the canvas I got to know many of the birds on a personal level. The hotel has been open since June 1st 2019 and has been well received by the Belgian press. It would make an interesting experience for anyone from Vancouver Island who is visiting or living in Europe. ~
bbuckrell@shaw.ca
New Ground: A Memoir of Art and Activism in BC’s Interior by Ann Kujundzic Reviewed by Heather Hughson
Starting with her Scottish Roots, Ann gives us a background to her life that very much shaped her future. Born in 1929 into a working-class family, home life was not easy, especially with World War II on the horizon. Her Mother instilled in Ann a “love of books, music, theatre and dance, and a respect for political values.” One of her first jobs was to be a secretary to Edinburgh sculptor, C. d’O Pilkington Jackson. Also working there was another artist, Zeljko (known as Jacob), from Yugoslavia, who she later married. They immigrated to British Columbia in 1958. Her husband, Zeljko, taught art at the LV Rogers High School in Nelson. A contemporary artist, he made quite an impact on the local art scene. He was a founding member of the Kootenay School of Art, opening its doors in 1960. In Nelson, Ann took some art classes, dabbled in other religions and was involved in an early women’s group. They moved to the Okanagan Valley where a teaching opportunity was provided to Zeljko.They started an Art Centre in their home. Zeljko had a TV program, “Art with Zeljko.” Her story includes many reminiscences about living in Nelson, the Okanagan Valley, travelling to New Mexico and Pennsylvania as Zeljko pursued his career in art. There are many stories of the friends she made in the fields of art and politics. After their divorce, Ann went massage school, moved to Toronto and opened her own business. There she gave testimony in support of Dr. Morgentaler. She later moved back to Vancouver. She tells us tales of her visit to Europe, China, Baffin Islands, Australia, Mexico and Israel before returning to Victoria, BC where she currently resides.
The completed painting
Her book is complete with a number of plates showing both Ann and Zeljko’s art; it also features many photographs that illustrate her life. ~ Available: caitlin-press.com
Winter 2019
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What’s Happening at Coast Collective? For Christmas, what do you give someone who has everything? Best piece of advice – head out to Coast Collective Gallery & Arts Centre and you are sure to find something unique. The Gallery offers hand-made art and superb craft from both Coast Collective members and artists throughout the region. Whether a painting or jewellery, toys or decorations, mugs or woodworking, you’re sure to find the perfect gift. Our 12th annual Gifts and Wishes runs from November 20th to December 22nd. Starting off a brand-new year on January 2nd, 2020, is the Instructor Showcase. Coast Collective has the most wonderfully talented artists who take great pleasure in passing along their love of the craft to enthusiastic students. This showcase, from January 2nd to 12th, gives the instructors themselves the chance to show off. Be sure to attend the Meet-the-Artists Reception on Saturday, January 4th, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Who knows, you might even be moved to sign up for a class or two yourself.
Share the ARTS with your friends and family with a gift subscription to the Island Arts Magazine.
Beginnings 2020, an exhibition running from January 15th to 26th, gives those artists who have never shown in a gallery exhibition a wonderful opportunity to share their work. Also on display, will be the work of those artists exploring a medium which is new to them. Make a point to attend the Meet-theArtists Reception on Saturday, January 18th, from 1 pm to 3 pm.
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Please make cheque payable to: S. SCHAEFER 701 Ermineskin Ave. Parksville, BC V9P 2L4
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Bertolt Brecht said, “If art reflects life, it does so with special mirrors.” Mirrors, an open call show from January 29th to February 9th, explores physical reflections, distortion through mirrors, reflections of the mind and in the world around us, and mirrored images. You will have an opportunity to look through the looking glass at the Meet-the-Artists reception on Saturday, February 1st, from 1 pm to 3 pm. Have you ever been accused of having your ‘head in the clouds’? Well, good news – you are not alone. Head in the Clouds is an open-call show running from February 26th to March 8th. From the sublime – artistic flights of fancy – to the ridiculous – shape shifters – to serious commentary on climate change … the sky’s the limit. Join these artists at the Meet-theArtists on Saturday, February 29th, from 1 pm to 3 pm. Doesn’t all of this make you want to pick up a paint brush or a pencil? You don’t know where to start, you say. Well, check out the website for details of classes that include acrylic painting, life drawing, even step by step details on how to create a successful painting. Operated by the Society for Arts on the South Island (SASI), whose mission statement is to nurture British Columbia arts and culture … through the production and support of showcases of fine art and craft, the provision of arts education programs, public performances, and special community cultural events, Coast Collective is looking forward to the year ahead. www.coastcollective.ca
www.islandartsmag.ca
~ Penny Pitcher
Is your website content fresh?
Build a Website that Works!
by Jeff Shields
• Fast turn-around • Affordable pricing • Best Practices • Website Hosting • Design & Development • E-commerce • Content Management Systems
D
oes your website attract and hold visitors? Do you rank well in the search engines? Is your content stale, over 12 months old?
With over 25 years experience in Web Technologies, we will make sure your website is performing for you.
It might be time to freshen things up. "Where do I start?" is a common question I receive. It can be overwhelming to attempt to refresh your website all at once. If you have google analytics installed as part of your website, it can be used as a starting point. If you don't have google analytics, that is the first thing I would do is install it. Otherwise start with the home page.
Call Jeff Shields at 250-240-0111 www.yaadev.com
The general rule of thumb is: "content is king". Quality, unique and recent content should be your main focus. Using google analytics, look for the pages with the highest bounce rate. Tackle these first. One page a month makes the task a bit less onerous. What is the main point of the page? Come up with a key word phrase that best describes what the page is about. Then 4 or 5 additional key words or phrases that support that idea. Now you can write your content using these key words and phrases. Use synonyms to broaden the possible search matches. Let's say your page is about painting florals. Your key phrase might be "painting florals". Supporting key words might be: flowers, plants, landscape, fauna, and nature. As you write your content try to craft your content to utilize these words and phrases. This will make it more interesting for the reader, improve your search engine matches and rankings, and make it more fun to write.
ATTENTION ARTISTS: Gridwalls, Displays & Packaging Perfect for your Art Shows 810 Shamrock Street, Victoria, BC 250-388-4123 • 1-800-964-1281 Email sales@matthewsdisplay.com www.matthewsdisplay.com
Before you take your new content live, spell check it, have someone read it over, and try reading it out load to yourself. Don't wait, do one page tonight. Good luck and happy writing.
“Let the beauty you love be what you do, there are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the earth…” Rumi
Joy (Joyce) Carol Olsen May 07, 1951 - August 9, 2019 Joy, a Sculptural Ceramist (porcelain), epitomized Rumi’s words with her imaginative, textural, hand-built clay creations. Her work was her song of joy to nature, whose beauty inspired her. Joy was happiest in her clay studio or on the beach. Sadly an aggressive cancer took Joy from us too soon. Joy and her creations were loved by many. Keep your creative imagination alive Joy, Heaven Celebrates your beauty!
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When I look back at Opus, what I think about is the people who influenced me and made my passions come alive. It was the people and the lifestyle that has made this life so much fun. One of my best friends (and the best man at my wedding) was Toni Onley. I met Toni back in the ’70s when we were both living on houseboats in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour. Toni would invite me to go on plein air painting trips with him – he was a float plane pilot – and he’d go to these wonderfully remote areas to paint, even way up into the Arctic. It was so interesting and inspiring watching him work. If a painting took him any longer than a half an hour, he was struggling. He’d do the whole thing with one brush.
How Opus Got Its Start in 1974 Opus Art Supplies founder David van Berckel looks back on how it all began, 45 years ago: “It was the 1970s and I was a hippie. I had landed in Canada after getting my engineering degree in the UK and travelling the world. After a time of just hanging out and enjoying myself, I realized I needed to make some money, but didn’t want to continue with my engineering – I wanted to be involved in the arts in some way. Many of my hippie friends were artists and I thought I could help them through framing their art. I’ve loved art from a very young age and I had fond memories of my father and I going to museums and galleries. That’s when I quickly discovered how much time, effort and resources it takes for an artist to make art. I returned to the galleries to check out “the scene” and my passion was reawakened. I wanted to do something to help artists and support the visual arts community and realized that I could earn a living through making frames. I bought a little picture framing business, and soon after it grew into wholesaling. I was actually the first person to make a go of it with metal frames. The demand increased, and I started a factory at 6th and Spruce. I really wanted to be on Granville Island, so when an opportunity came up to rent there, I took it! The building was derelict at the time: there was about 2 inches of water on the floor, and a guy squatting in the space, so the CMHC provided some financial support for us to fix it up. Shortly after we opened our doors, Emily Carr University moved in, and from there we expanded into art supplies so that we could better serve the students that had become our new neighbours.
I did a trip across Canada with Toni. He flew us across in his plane – we went as far as Montreal – and had lots of adventures along the way as Toni would stop in the next remote area for another plein air painting session. At one point he had a Polish plane, and he bought skis for it so that he could go and land up on the glaciers to paint. An achievement I am most proud of is our work in helping students get a footing in their art career. I’ve noticed that quite often one of the first things to get axed or cut is funding for the visual arts, and we’ve found that there are a few ways that Opus can help with that. We’ve offered a student discount for many years – it’s currently at 15% for post-secondary visual arts students. We actually just recently found out that the bursary and support we offer to Emily Carr University of Art + Design has exceeded $250,000. I think the shortest way to say it is that I’m most proud to have supported artists and art students. I don’t know how artists do it quite frankly, but we’re going to continue to be a resource for them in whatever ways we can.” photo of David standing in front of Opus c 1978
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Proudly Supporting the Arts
‘Willy Whiskers’ Wishes You and Your Family a Safe and Happy Holiday Season
Willy Whiskers, 20 x 16”, acrylic on canvas
susan-schaefer-fine-art.ca • 250-586-5510
DRAW Gallery continues in our tradition of showcasing work from a variety of our gallery artists with originals & prints including paintings, photographs, mixed media, glass and copper featuring work by local and Island Artists such as Doug Blackwell aka SockeyeKing, Jacques De Backer, Cynthia Bonesky, Cecil Dawson, Lucas Chickite, Chris Dolman, Pamela Holl Hunt, Perry Johnston, Jillian Mayne, Todd Robinson, Susan Schaefer, Perrin Sparks, Arianne Terez, Gordon Wilson among others. December 6th – February 15th, 2019, Heart of Winter - Group Exhibit. All are welcome to mix and mingle whilst enjoying seasonal refreshments at the opening reception, December 14th 6 - 8 pm. Visit us Online www.drawgallery.com and onLocation at the corner of Melrose & 8th Ave in the dynamic Alberni Valley or Call 855755-0566.
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M A R K E T- P L A C E :
AN AFFORDABLE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO ADVERTISE
ART SUPPLIES Iron Oxide Art Supplies #5 Victoria Road, Nanaimo BC 250-591-4766. Great selection. www.ironoxideartsupplies.com Island Blue’s Art Store art supplies, easels, frames, etc. Easy online shopping and quick delivery. www.islandblue.com THE GALLERY @ QUALICUM ART SUPPLY - A Full line of Fine Art Supplies - Custom Picture Framing - Local Fine Art Gallery Stationery & Desktop Publishing 206 First Ave. W. Qualicum Beach 250-752-3471 Follow us on Facebook
CALL TO ARTISTS Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens in Courtenay 18th Annual Art in Bloom May 16-18 (May Long Weekend) For more information and to register, call (250) 338-6901 woodlandgardens.ca
EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
GALLERIES & GIFTS McMillan Arts Centre Artisan Gift Shop. Local artwork, photography, pottery, jewellery, cards, gifts and more. 133 McMillan St. Parksville. Sandbar Cafe and Art Gallery Open 7 days a week. Weekend entertainment. 6087 W. Island Hwy. Qualicum Bay. 778-424-9892 Proud supporter of the Arts
MERCHANDISE Matthews Store Fixtures & Shelving. Gridwalls, Displays & Packaging. Perfect for your events. 810 Shamrock St. Victoria. www.matthewsdisplay.com
SERVICES Websites that work. Call Jeff 250-240-0111 www.yaadev.com Carmichael Canvas Artists’ Giclée Prints on Canvas. We specialize in high quality, wide format printing using photography of your original artwork. 250-228-5091 carmichaelcanvas@gmail.com Nanoose Bay Christmas Crawl Studio Tour, December 7 & 8, 10am to 4pm. Local artists and artisans welcome you on this self-guided studio tour. www.nanoosebaystudiotour.com
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WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Scrivener Art Workshops: Mixed Media, Encaustic, Collage, Acrylic, Cold Wax and Oil Paint. Studio and online, register at www.pattscrivenerworkshops.com or call 250-248-2775 www.islandartsmag.ca
Next Issue: Spring 2020 Advertising Deadline: January 21st
SANDSTROM SPENCE STUDIO Featuring the Work of Richard Sandstrom & Diane Spence
“My work is non-objective or existential, in that it exist for its own sake, an inner vision if you will. The exception to this would be the wood and mixed-media wall sculptures that take on a landscape feel. Mainly I just like to make things and share them with you.” Richard Sandstrom
“I have always enjoyed abstract and non-objective imagery. I am an intuitive painter and continue to explore and be influenced by all kinds of art. My work is a creative process...a creative struggle, with each layer bringing unexpected excitement and hopeful resolutions if needed. I leave it to the viewer to engage and react with my painting.” Diane Spence
Diane & Richard wish to Invite you to their Open Studio Sunday December 8th from 4:00 -8:00 pm 545 Beach Road, Qualicum Beach
sandstrom-spence-studio.ca 250-752-8641 • Qualicum Beach BC Winter 2019
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